Implantable medical devices (IMDs) have been used for monitoring patient health condition or disease states and delivering therapies. For example, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are used to monitor certain abnormal heart rhythms. Some IMDs may be used to monitor progression of a chronic disease, such as worsening of cardiac performance due to congestive heart failure (CHF). In addition to diagnostic capabilities, the IDs may also provide therapies to treat or alleviate certain medical conditions, such as cardiac electrostimulation therapies to treat cardiac arrhythmias or to rectify cardiac dyssynchrony in CHF patients.
The IMDs may generate alert notification when the occurrence of an alert condition triggers a notification scheme. The alert condition may include a detection of a particular health condition or a medical event, such as a cardiac arrhythmia or worsening heart failure. The alert notification may be provided to a healthcare provider to signal the patient health condition. Upon being notified, the healthcare provider may review patient medical record or device recorded physiological data, determine the presence or causes of the medical event, or assess whether a prescribed therapy has resulted in desired therapeutic outcome.
A patient management system may monitor patients with IMDs that are interconnected to the patient management via a data communications network, such as the Internet. Such a patient management system have enabled healthcare providers to remotely follow up with the patients or to assess device functions on a periodic basis.